Well, Call me Surprised!

[aelfie]

NOT!

So, last month I went to my GP with a laundry list of issues I wanted to talk to her about. One was that I wanted a sleep study. Almost exactly 20 years (and okay I'll admit 60 pounds ago) I was diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I started snoring...loudly, when I was 2. By the time I was 15, my level of sleep deprivation was so bad I'd become narcoleptic. What finally prompted my mother to do something about it, after being reassured by our Dr that everything was fine for years, was the fact that all my teachers called my mother within a week to say that I was falling asleep in their class. Every day. Mom took me to a classmates dad who was an ENT, he took one look in my throat and said "Those are coming right out. How's next week?" He said that my unusually large tonsils and adnoids were causing sleep apena...their removal would fix the problem. After the surgery he told my mom that, not only did I stop the room when I was put to sleep, but I also had the largest T&A he had ever handled.  He had no idea how I'd been able to sleep.

But I digress.

So lately, (read last couple of years) I have been feeling like I did then. I would wake up after 9+ hours of sleep and want to take a nap after a couple of hours...and would take a 3-4 hour nap if circumstances would let me.  And I felt like that I wasn't getting rested. So I asked my Dr for a sleep study. She immediately agreed and I got an appt several weeks later. Which was last week. I went to this stupid Kaiser class where I learned how to put on this wierd arm brace that had two finger thingee's on it. One to measure my oxygen levels and one to track my pulse, plus a computer to record the nights readings.

I got a letter today.

Guess what?

I have sleep apnea! (No shit!) *rolls eyes* 21 episodes per hour according to the results.

So I called to make the first of 3 appts. The first is a class to learn what sleep apnea is, and what causes it. #2 is to be set up with a smart CPAP for a week. #3 is to meet with the Doc and get my Rx and discuss further proceedures. I asked the receptionist if I could skip the class as I was diagnosed 20 years ago, I know all about it. I even had surgery for it. "Why did we do a sleep study if you already knew you have it"
"Because they didn't do sleep studies or CPAP's on 15 year olds back then. They just ripped your tonsils out and sent you home"
"That's a good reason."
"I thought so"

So now I get to join the cool kids and get a CPAP. =) Whee!

Comments

[puzzld1.livejournal.com]

See, we can be bears too!

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

RAWR! =)

Heh, heh...

[psi-star-psi.livejournal.com]

I also had the largest T&A he had ever handled.

It took me a moment to realize that "T&A" was tonsils & adenoids, or some such. Not my first guess. (But what about the uvula?)

Of course, while you were reading through allanh's CPAP thread to see what you might expect from the experience, my attentiveness shot up when you read aloud "increased sexual drive".

Like Riker, I'll just sit here on the Captain's couch with a dreamy grin for the rest of the scene.

[rephetibel.livejournal.com]

You have 21 episodes of sleep apnea each 'sleeping' hour? You have three young children? You have a job?

How on earth have you managed?

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

After living with severe sleep apnea and the resulting sleep deprivation for 14 years at an earlier point of my life...I'm used to it. That and lack of alternative.

It just took me awhile to figure out why I'm so fatigued. I've been trying for 18 months. I knew something was wrong...it just took awhile to figure it out.

[allanh.livejournal.com]

'bout time. :)

You'll only be one of the cool kids...

[airporter.livejournal.com]

if you don't knit yourself a hose sock.

Re: You'll only be one of the cool kids...

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

I'm not that cool...I don't know how to knit.

Re: You'll only be one of the cool kids...

[rfrench.livejournal.com]

I seem to have an excess of CPAP machines (like 4 or 5). If you don't have good insurance that will buy you a nice new one, and want to buy an old model cheap, let me know. We can program it to the settings you need.

Re: You'll only be one of the cool kids...

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

I will keep that in mind. Thanks!